Defining Home
by simplygeeky
Summary: Princess Emma had been on the run for five years from the Evil Queen what lengths is she willing to go to so she can return home.
1. Stumble

**Hello everyone! This is a rewrite of a story I have already written called Whats Underneath which was my very first CS fanfic. I have decided to retell it all together with some new points to cover and some more details. I hope you all enjoy :)**

* * *

Princess Emma, from the Enchanted Forrest, had been on the run from the Evil Queen for about 5 years now. She'd grown accustom to getting herself into as well as out of sticky situations.

With the Evil Queen hell bent on destroying her family, Emma took it upon herself to leave her land, disguise herself and stay on the run until the Queen had been brought down and it was safe for her to return to the Enchanted Forrest once again.

She'd been hiding the last few weeks in a seaside town, sleeping in barns and doing odd jobs for spare change. This evening brought cool winds off the water; Emma decided to stay in a dimly lite section of the local pub, out of the cold air, filling up on ale and bits of bread until she heard it. The undeniable sound of hoof beats followed up with carriage wheels. Just a few coins tossed onto the table were the only evidence Emma had been there at all.

* * *

Her cloak brushed out of the back door as she bustled down a dock with a seemingly harmless ship docked off at the left hand side. She stepped onto the gangplank making a creaking noise under her weight. Emma ducked low but carefully eyed the ships deck, spotting a plump little man in a red cap fast asleep against a few crates but he was the only soul in sight. She let herself aboard and moved with haste to the door she found just past the sleeping man. Emma picked the second door on the right, closed it behind her with out a sound and sank to the floor below, finally releasing a breath she'd been unaware she was holding.

"And just who might you be?" The question made Emma resume holding her breath.

She was not alone in the room she'd chosen, there was a man in there with her, the Captain she'd assumed as she glanced around at all the decorations dotting the room. He stood from his desk slowly and then moved around to its front, advancing in her direction. The thought of running out of the room crossed Emma's mind but so did the thought of running right into the clutches of the Evil Queen. No, she couldn't do that.

"A simple name and explanation as to why you are aboard my ship if you'd be so kind, lass." He was close to her now, if he'd known who she was he wouldn't have asked for her name.

 _Lie._

"Eliza. My name is Eliza. Some men tried to attack me in the market and I ran here to hide. A thousand apologizes, the ship appeared to be vacant." Emma started her false tale.

The leather-clad man studied her, as if deciding if he wanted to believe her or not. Emma took this chance to study him back. Light eyes but full of darkness, messy dark hair, stubble lightly coating his jawline and he was missing a hand. Her eyes flew to the desk he'd been sitting at and there it was; a silver hook off to the side among the clutter. Emma knew exactly who this man was and perhaps the Queen would have been the better option.


	2. Explanation

**Chapter two up for your enjoyment. I will probably be posting the third here in a few hours. Thank you for the follows and favorites :)**

* * *

"My crew is merely out for the evening." He seemed to miss the brief panic on Emma's face before she concealed it away. She'd grown good at hiding fear, "You see, we have been at sea for several months now and we set sail once more at first light." He finished his explanation but still Emma was quiet, "These men, did they harm you?" He asked, extending his hand to help her off of the floor.

"No. I-I can hold my own but there was a group of them and running seemed like the best option. I wouldn't have been able to fight them all."

The Captain took a step away from here, chuckling slightly, "A woman who can fight, refreshing." He made his way back to his desk. Emma knew the look on his face, he was in deep thought but of what? She caught him looking back at her and hoped he didn't spot her eyeing the door.

"If you fear for your safety, I can assure you, no harm will become you while you're aboard my ship." He said with a smile which, much to Emma's surprise, wasn't half bad for a pirate. In fact, it was pretty impeccable.

"It isn't upon your ship I am worried about, Captain." She thought her voice was quiet enough for only her to hear but she'd been wrong.

"You are more than welcome to stay aboard this evening. Cabins are just across the deck and down below. Just for tonight though, as I said, tomorrow we set sail yet again." He told her.

Emma was shocked by the offer, "You seem surprised by my graciousness. I take it this means you know who I am?"

"I have heard the stories, Captain Hook." She confessed.

He made his way to her once again, "The offer still stands, lass, if you feel you can trust me. And you can just call me Captain Jones." He put his stump at the small of her back opening the door with his hand and guiding her into the hallway.

As he opened the door to the deck, the Evil Queen's henchman were in full view but preoccupied with interrogating the man in the red cap, "Oh fantastic, Black Knights." The Captain groaned and went to look at Emma but she had seemed to vanish into thin air. He spun around, frantically looking for her but it was no use at the moment; a Black Knight had called his attention.

The Captain was asked multiple times if he had offered passage to anyone as of late and Hook insisted no time and time again. It was not a lie. He simply offered Eliza a place to sleep for the night; he made no offers of passage. But, suddenly the Captain got the feeling this mysterious woman was going to be a lot more than he'd bargained for.


	3. Seek

"Sir, is there sometin' going on that I don't know 'bout?" The red capped man asked once the Black Knights were off the dock.

"That is none of your concern now, Smee. Send for me if anyone returns. I have, business, to attend to." The Captain then turned on his heal and returned through the door he exited from.

* * *

This woman just shows up on his ship and then suddenly the Queens men are after someone; it couldn't just be a coincidence. He searched his cabin first, thinking he may have returned there since she'd known where it was, "Lass, the men are gone. You can come out now." He tried to cox her out of hiding but it was a failure. He then took to the storage room across the hall and at first glance she was still missing but the Captain was not about to underestimate this woman. He lifted a wooden bench along one of the walls that he knew led to a small room to store captives in but this time it held the vanishing woman, and now she was welding a sword. She sprung up and out of the room sending him crashing to the ground. She was atop him, sword pressed close to his neck.

"Did you send for her!" She demanded to know.

Hook grabbed a small knife from his boot for protection, "No. But, I am a pirate, the woman doesn't exactly put a lot of trust in me." He tried to pull the knife but Emma was too quick. With one swift move it was knocked from reach. She now had his hand pinned to his side, sword still pressed to his neck, "You said that I could trust you." She hissed in his ear.

"He tried to smirk to lighten the mood, he'd always been good at charming his way out of situations, "I said, if you felt you could trust me, love, not that you should."

He paid for that with a small trickle of blood falling down his neck, "Lass, I did promise you no harm would come to you on my ship, that has to count for something."

Emma scanned his ice blue eyes looking for something to tell her he could be trusted, they could be allies but found nothing pointing her in either direction, friend or foe. He did offer her a place to stay and did not give her up to the knights, "What did you tell them?" She asked, pulling back the blade ever so slightly.

"The truth. I have not offered any strangers passage. That was all they asked of me. I have promised you protection, I told you that, even if I do not think that Ella is your real name."

She pulled the sword back fully getting off of him and offering a hand to help him up.

He nodded his head in appreciation before lightly touching the wound she inflicted.

"You've traveled realms I assume?" She asked.

"When I can, aye."

"How long has it been since you've been to the Enchanted Forrest?"

"That has been quite some time, Charming and I we don't see eye to eye."

"Then you wouldn't know who I am even if I gave you my real name." She pulled her hood up over her head but he pulled it back off her.

"I am all ears, lass. Tell your tale. I might not know of you but I do know of an Evil Queen who has it out for the fair Snow White. Is she back to hunting her again?"

"It isn't Snow she's after." Emma mumbled.

"But, you know who it is she is after?"

Emma nodded, "Yeah, I know. I'll clean that cut up for you and tell you."


End file.
